Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there have been growing concerns about the role of foreign actors supporting Moscow’s military efforts. One of the more secretive participants is North Korea, which has reportedly provided soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces. While information about North Korea’s involvement remains scarce and shrouded in secrecy, recent intelligence estimates provide a glimpse into the heavy toll the country’s military has paid in the conflict.

North Korea’s Secret Role in the War

North Korea’s participation in the war in Ukraine is not widely acknowledged, but there have been multiple reports of its military forces operating in Russian-controlled territories, particularly in the Kursk Oblast, located near Ukraine’s border. In October 2024, Ukrainian sources claimed that over 12,000 North Korean troops had been deployed to fight against Ukrainian forces, many of whom were integrated into Russian units.

These soldiers were reportedly sent to fight on the frontlines, though their official status within the Russian military has been shrouded in ambiguity. Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Rustem Umierov, noted in an interview with South Korean television that North Korean troops have been disguised as part of Russia’s Buryat ethnic group—an indigenous people from Siberia—likely to hide their true identity and minimize the political fallout. This strategy, according to Umierov, may have been designed to obscure the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war.

NATO has also corroborated these claims, citing evidence of North Korean fighters in the Russian ranks. However, details about their specific operations remain tightly controlled by both the North Korean and Russian governments, and the troops’ precise role in the broader conflict is difficult to assess.

Estimated Casualties

North Korea’s involvement in the war has not come without a heavy price. Ukrainian intelligence estimates that approximately 3,000 North Korean soldiers—about 25% of the initial deployment—have been killed since their arrival in the conflict. This figure suggests that North Korea has faced substantial losses in its support of Russia’s war effort.

The White House, citing more recent reports, estimates that North Korean casualties could be even higher. According to US officials, the North Korean death toll in the Kursk Oblast alone reached around 1,000 within just the past week. If accurate, these numbers indicate that the fighting in this region has been especially brutal for North Korean forces, who have been engaged in direct combat with Ukrainian military units as well as irregular forces.

These casualties could have significant implications for North Korea, both in terms of military morale and domestic politics. With the country’s leadership under Kim Jong-un already facing immense pressure from both external and internal challenges, such heavy losses may add further strain to the regime. The decision to send troops into the war was likely driven by a mix of strategic calculations and the promise of economic support from Russia, but the human cost of this involvement could become a point of contention within the tightly controlled North Korean state.

The Broader Implications of North Korea’s Losses

North Korea’s hidden casualties also speak to the broader complexities of the international dimensions of the war in Ukraine. The use of foreign troops in the conflict, including mercenaries and irregular forces, complicates the already murky battle lines. For Russia, the deployment of North Korean soldiers serves as a stopgap measure to bolster its ranks, which have been depleted due to significant losses over nearly three years of war.

However, the ongoing casualties of North Korean soldiers also raise difficult questions about the country’s future role in the conflict. North Korea’s apparent willingness to accept such losses, despite the potential for domestic unrest, suggests that the regime views its alliance with Russia as a critical component of its broader geopolitical strategy. At the same time, the continuing sacrifice of North Korean soldiers in the war may eventually force Pyongyang to reassess its involvement, especially if losses continue to mount.

While the situation remains fluid, it is clear that North Korea’s military involvement in Ukraine has come at a steep price. As the conflict drags on, the true scale of North Korea’s losses may become more evident, both in terms of human lives and its strategic calculations moving forward.